Victim's Legs Shot On Meeker Ave In 2023: 2nd Defendant Captured

JOLIET — The Joliet Police Department has made a second arrest in connection with last July's non-fatal shooting of a 22-year-old man in the 400 block of Meeker Avenue. On Sunday evening, Joliet police arrested 25-year-old Cesar Garcia-Aguirre on charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm and for traffic offenses.

Garcia-Aguirre was also given a notice to appear in court for a new charge of possession of a controlled substance.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, at around 3:15 p.m. on July 9, 2023, Joliet police learned that someone was shot in the 400 block of Meeker Avenue. The 22-year-old victim was found on the ground, suffering multiple gunshot wounds to his legs. The victim was taken to Silver Cross Hospital by the Joliet Fire Department with non-life-threatening injuries.

"During this investigation, detectives identified Garcia-Aguirre as a suspect involved in this shooting and secured an arrest warrant for Garcia-Aguirre for aggravated discharge of a firearm on July 25, 2023," English said.

Garcia-Aguirre avoided capture by the Joliet police for nine months until Sunday evening.

At 6:45 p.m., Joliet police stopped his Chrysler Pacifica on Ohio Street and Youngs Avenue, and Garcia-Aguirre was placed into custody without incident.

According to English, officers recovered cocaine from inside his car, and Aguirre had an active Will County warrant for failing to appear in court on previous traffic charges.

Last July, Patch reported that Joliet police arrested 27-year-old resident Martell Lopez in connection with the same Meeker Avenue shooting.

Bail for Lopez, of the 500 block of Silver Leaf Drive, was set at $500,000. Lopez is being charged with aggravated battery with a gun and aggravated discharge of a gun.